Four Friends 1946

Robert Austin made this print called ‘Four Friends’ in 1946. It looks like he was really thinking about Renaissance art when he made it, but it's got something else going on too. I like to imagine Robert Austin bent over his plate, scratching away at the surface. The image slowly emerging from the metal like a dream. Did he labor over every tiny flower, every fold in their dresses? I wonder if he was thinking about Botticelli or Mantegna. These figures have such calm faces and the way he's placed them close together suggests a deep connection. Even the bird seems at ease in their company. It's like they're all sharing a secret, a quiet understanding that transcends words. Robert Austin and other printmakers show us how art isn't about one big statement, but many small ones coming together. Each line is a breath, a decision, and a gesture.